S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce Begins Paying the $300 Federal Pandemic

Unemployment Compensation on Eligible Claims as Part of the

Continued Assistance for Unemployed Workers Act

Columbia, S.C. – On Monday, January 4, 2021, the Department of Employment and Workforce (DEW) paid more than $10 million to the first round of claimants eligible for the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) supplemental benefits.

“We are extremely excited to begin paying these important funds without interruption to continuing claimants with eligible weeks,” said DEW Executive Director Dan Ellzey. “Our agency has only received the very first of the guidance from the US Department of Labor (USDOL), and there is still a great deal of work to be done to study and implement these complex programs, but we are happy to begin the process and support South Carolinians during this difficult time. We will communicate with claimants to help them navigate new deadlines and expectations.”

Starting with claim week ending January 2, 2021, claimants who are eligible to receive at least $1 of an unemployment program will also receive an additional $300 on top of their weekly benefit amount. This supplemental FPUC payment, made available by the recent passing of the Continued Assistance for Unemployed Workers Act, will be provided to eligible claimants through claim week ending March 13, 2021.

The agency was able to begin this first phase of the Continued Assistance for Unemployed Workers Act so quickly because:

• US DOL made FPUC money available to states over the weekend.
• The additional benefits were paid overnight only to individuals on a continued claim who have not exhausted their eligible weeks. This is the first group of claimants who will receive these benefits.
• Eligible claimants will begin to receive benefits for the claim week ending January 2, 2021. There are not prior weeks of $300 available through this program.
• Individuals receiving the $300 have already been processed through the agency’s enhanced security system and identification process.
• This addition could be programmed into the system in a way that was very similar to the $600 FPUC program that was built into the system in 2020.
• DEW received US DOL guidance to proceed with this phase of the act.

DEW is continuing to work through the guidance as it is issued from USDOL and will implement the various programs in phases as quickly as possible.

As we continue to get final guidance, we will begin paying the additional add groups who have already exhausted the PUA or PEUC programs, including the $300 FPUC benefits.

As DEW is able to build and apply the programs of the Continued Assistance for Unemployed Workers Act, the agency will post updates to the website, through social media, send information and instructions to claimants, and share information with our media partners.

About the S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce

The S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce is putting South Carolinians to work. The agency has four missions: (1) workforce development; (2) free job match employment services; (3) unemployment insurance; and (4) labor market information. All four missions contribute to workforce development. The agency is dedicated to advancing South Carolina through services and programs that meet the needs of our businesses, jobseekers and those looking to advance their careers.